Philadelphia Apologizes To Late Jackie Robinson For 1947 Racism

Robinson endured racist taunts and threats at the plate when he broke MLB's color barrier on April 15, 1947.

On Thursday, officials in Philadelphia passed a resolution that not only honors Major League Baseball legend Jackie Robinson‘s color barrier-breaking appearance in the city in 1947 but also serves as a formal apology. On April 15, the day that Robinson shattered the barrier, his widow will receive a formal apology for the mistreatment her husband faced, NBC Philadelphia reports.

Now the stuff of legend, Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers entered the Philadelphia Phillies’ Shibe Park that day as taunts and racist slurs rained down from the crowd and the opposing bench. Robinson faced humiliation ahead of the game after the Dodgers were refused service at the Ben Franklin Hotel because of his presence.The insults piled up after Phillies manager Ben Chapman hurled slurs at him each time he stepped to the plate.

In the 2013 biopic, 42, starring Chadwick Boseman, the incidents leading up to the historic event are depicted, including the hotel refusal and the barrage of jeers. Robinson gracefully endured such treatment on his way to a Hall of Fame career in where he was named to the All-Star team six times, a World Series champion, and 1947 MLB Rookie Of The Year.

Rachel Robinson will stand in her husband’s place to receive the honor.